Let me suggest reading some of the literature available to the public from the American Institute of Architects, or the Associated General Contractors, beginning with standard contract forms A201 and A201. There is a lot more to construction projects than what you seem to be inferring. If the Construction Documents are sound, there is nothing wrong with having it built by the Lowest Qualified Bidder. Most things are. On any project of any substantial scale, “shortcuts” are not taken lightly by a good builder, who has a lot to lose if something isn’t right. His best approach is to do prepare his bid thoroughly, seeking all possible clarifications to the Drawings amd Specifications during the Bidding Period. If he gets the job, he should continue to seek clarifications, and if there are necessary changes adding to the cost, there is a standard process by which he is paid for them. He does not actually stand to gain much at all by installing less than what he is under Contract to do. In fact he would be guilty of fraud. If the Contractor proposes a substitution and it is accepted, he would be required to provide a credit. It does not go into anyone’s “profit”, it goes back into the Budget for Construction. Otherwise, there is malfeasance. The vast majority of contractors win their contracts by being the Lowest Qualified Bidder. What you seem to be saying is that the vast majority of contractors are criminals in collusion with the building owners. Unfortunately, that view is common among people whose ideas are formed primarily by the mass entertainment outlets. I personally believe that competition fosters innovation and counters inflation. As for profit, it is a clearly delineated feature of accounting (with the exception of a few criminals) and it allows people in this country to remain employed and for taxes to be paid.

Oh, and Scharneeigh, though your comment was off-topic, I loved it and I totally agree with you.

For one other example of downtown construction taking an existing church into consideration see Promenades de la Cathedrale in Montreal. Picture taken during construction.

In New York?? We’ll be waiting a while.